Evidence of meeting #153 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was newcomers.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you for suggestion of having smaller hubs in different communities.
Aside from the geographic location, what about the funding for resettlement services? Do you feel you have sufficient resources to do the work you're doing currently, or do you think there needs to be additional support?
Executive Director, Calgary Chinese Community Service Association
Our organization doesn't receive any IRCC funding. It is tough because we are doing a lot of this work, but because we are only recognized as an ethnic organization, we are not considered a settlement organization. These are some of the challenges we are facing.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Would you call for change in this regard? This is a problem in British Columbia too, by the way.
Executive Director, Calgary Chinese Community Service Association
Yes, that is exactly what we need to see, so that this funding does not just go to settlement organizations but also to community organizations that are doing this kind of work.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
That's the end of your time.
Mr. Maguire, do you want one minute? We have two minutes till our committee business meeting starts.
Conservative
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Thank you. They'll be very happy with this as well.
I put forward a notice of motion on March 14, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Yes, I put forward a notice of motion. I just want to move the motion now. A small change will be required, but it now reads that pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), “Before the end of April 2019, that the Committee hold a two hour briefing with representatives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to discuss the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.”
I would amend that to change the date to May 15, 2019.
I had originally put “Before the end of April”, but we don't sit for the next two weeks. With everyone's agreement on that, I would move that now.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I think we have unanimous consent to hold this briefing. We put in a request to IRCC officials to have the meeting. They just asked us for a little more time to get prepared, because it's a brand new pilot and they don't have materials available. We can do that. I still think they will decline to come before that, because it's looking like the end of May. They have not said no, and they will do a two-hour briefing with us.
I think we have unanimous agreement that we want to hold this briefing.
Are you okay if we do it by the end of May?
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Yes.
(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
I'll take that as unanimous consent. There's no reason that they don't want to do it. It's just that they have to prepare materials.
We're going to suspend the meeting for a moment and go to an in camera business meeting for a few minutes. Mr. Maguire requested it. I also have a motion from Ms. Kwan that would be acceptable even though it's not been given 48 hours' notice. I think Mr. Whalen might have one as well. We're going to suspend as quickly as possible. I think there may be bells.
Thank you to the witnesses.
[Proceedings continue in camera]